If you're new to owning a home or you're just curious what you might need to know once you are ready, then you need to learn the basics of mortgages. With this being the most important investment of your life, knowing what you're getting into will save you a lot of trouble in the long run, as well as help you save money at the same time. The choice of mortgages you make is nearly as important as the house that you choose - and here's what you need to know.

The Kinds of Mortgages You Can Get

Your choices of mortgages will often be influenced by the credit history that you have. For example, those with lower credit ratings will often have fewer choices in terms of mortgages because they aren't seen as reliable people for paying back these large loans. However, for most people, there are two main choices for mortgages: fixed rate and adjustable rate mortgages. Each of these choices has their own risks and benefits, but more and more, financial experts are leaning toward recommending that people choose fixed rate mortgages.

When You Don't Like to Take Risks

The main advantage of a fixed rate mortgage lies in the way they work in relation to the housing market. As the name implies, the rate of interest that you are paying for this loan is not going to change - it's fixed. And for someone that doesn't like to base their life on how the housing market might go, this is an advantage. If you're worried that the interest rates are going to fluctuate or if you're worried that you might not have a lot of money in the future to accommodate larger fluctuation sin interest, you might want to hold off on adjustable rate plans and start looking into the fixed rate mortgage, you don't want to have to worry about your home's future.

When You Like to Plan Ahead

By knowing what you are going to pay every month, you can more accurately see what homes you can and can not afford. And since you will probably be making more money in the future, this arrangement works for you now. If you can afford the mortgage payments now, you will most certainly be able to pay for them in the future as well. This will allow you to feel secure in your payment arrangements, plus you can begin to plan ahead to pay more as you are making more money to finish off your house payments more quickly.

When You Like to Have a Goal in Sight

When you have a 30 year fixed rate mortgage, you will know exactly what you need to pay and how long you will need to be paying for. For some people, they like to know the time frame in which they need to consider themselves in house debt. Instead of being unsure of whether you will be paying more or less money, you have a payment book that you simply just follow and pay down, making each month one step closer to the your eventual homeownership.

No Matter What the Market Does, You're paying the same

While this is an obvious benefit, it can not be understated in today's housing market. Even if the interest rates skyrocket, you will still be paying the same amount of money each month. Of course, if the interest rates plummet, you're not going to be able to take advantage of that necessarily unless you attempt to refinance your home. Over the long run, most interest rates in the ARM (adjustable rate mortgage) plans will be about the same as the fixed rate plans, on average.

While the fixed rate mortgage doesn't work for everyone because you can often have a higher interest rate, over the long run, this tends to be the best choice for those that want to know what they are paying, how much they are paying, and how they won't be affected by the housing market.

The one concern with a fixed rate mortgage is that you will want to be a person that has good credit. In fact, most lenders will not want to give these kinds of loans to people without a good credit background. To secure the lowest interest rate and this kind of agreement, you will need to make sure you are paying your bills on time and that your credit history is clear of problems.

Whether you're a new house owner or you're looking to own your first home, a fixed rate mortgage is something you may want to consider. The stability of this loan is one less thing you need to worry about in terms of your home. Though you might be able to save money with an ARM, that's not a guarantee - and your financial future should not be based on a 'maybe.'